Additional Insured vs. Certificate Holder: The Difference That Protects You

Being named the certificate holder on a COI means you received the document. It does not, by itself, give you any coverage under the vendor's policy. This is the most common and most dangerous misunderstanding in vendor insurance.

To actually be protected by a vendor's policy, you need to be an additional insured via endorsement. Then, if a claim arises from the vendor's work, their insurer can defend and cover you. Always verify additional-insured status — not just that your name appears in the certificate holder box.